“We are on track to deliver TB freedom to more than half of the country by the end of this Parliament which will boost our trade prospects and is expected to deliver benefits worth millions of pounds to our dairy and beef industries.

“ Badger control in the South West has been successful and we will enable it to take place over a wide number of areas next year.

“I am determined to deliver our strategy to tackle bovine TB and eradicate this devastating disease as soon as possible.”

Farmers blame badgers for spreading TB to cattle (Photo: PA)

Badger Trust chief executive Dominic Dyer said: "The Government is attempting to bury bad news by releasing its badger cull figures for 2015 on the day of the Christmas Recess in Parliament.

"Despite claiming all the cull contractors have met their targets, there is no evidence the killing of badgers is reducing the level of bovine TB in cattle.

"With over £20million of taxpayers' money spent to date, unless the Government can prove that the culling of badgers is working, this cruel, ineffective and hugely costly policy must be stopped immediately."